Former National Youth Organizer of the Convention People's Party (CPP), James Kwabena Bomfeh has called on the Education Ministry to resolve those conflicts of interest in the various institutions.
The Muslim Community in the Western Region of Ghana on Friday remonstrated to express their concerns over discrimination against their female students who wear hijab (veils), a traditional scarf worn by Muslim women to cover their hair and neck and sometimes their face.
In view of the concerns raised by the Muslims, the Christian Council of Ghana (CCG) called for amicable resolution as the Council noted that "the current concerns expressed by her Muslim brothers and sisters over the use of hijab (veils) in our educational institutions" and therefore called for consensus building.
Also addressing some discriminatory acts by educational institutions in the country, the Former National Youth Organizer of the Convention People's Party (CPP), James Kwabena Bomfeh called on the Education Ministry to resolve those conflicts of interest in the various institutions.
According to him, the discrimination has crossed borders and now, members of the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Church are the worst victims.
He noted on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" that SDA students in the country have had their services and worship to their Maker curtailed by various institutions in the country.
He explained that the institutions knowing very well that Saturdays are deemed "Sabbath day" by SDAs and the days are supposed to be kept holy, meaning they don't have to engage in any secular event; fix examinations on those days which conflicts with the beliefs of the SDA students.
Due to such practices, several SDA students have boycotted exams leading to their inability to further their education level.
James Kwabena Bomfeh, also known as Kabila, vehemently spoke against school authorities in the nation for fixing exams on Saturdays to sideline students who attend SDA.
“Does the country recognize freedom of worship? Chairman General, the most affected religious body in this business his SDA congregants."
He claimed that some SDA students “kept faith to their God and didn’t go and write the exams on Saturday. But fortunately for them, some passed and only knows how He delivered his children. There are others who also had faith that they will not go and write. If they fail, then they fail and so, they didn’t write and due to that, it has affected their academic life till this day."
He was therefore worried that State authorities, particularly the Education Ministry, would allow institutions to be grossly irreverent toward what the SDA church holds to be sacred.
Kabila held strongly that examinations should not be written on Saturdays anymore.
“Why should we encourage that? If we say working hours in Ghana, on the calendar, is from Monday to Friday; why should we fix examinations on Saturday? Today, it’s the Muslim issue that has arisen for us to talk about. The Education Ministry should make an effort” to resolve the situation, he stated emphatically.
Also adding his voice to the calls, NPP Member of Parliament for Ayawaso West Wougon, Emmanuel Kyeremateng Agyarko appealed to the Education Ministry to "begin to show a lot of tolerance."
|
| |
|
|
|
No comments:
Post a Comment